Catalina Model for Heritage Centre

A ‘Cat’ has returned to its wartime lair at Pembroke Dock, just in time to go on display at a unique event in the town’s Heritage Centre on Sunday April 1st to mark the RAF’s 100th Anniversary.

The large scale model of a Catalina flying boat has been donated to the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre by The Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust at Derby.

The model was among a collection given to The Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust by a former member and was built to fly. It was surplus to their display needs and was subsequently offered to Pembroke Dock.

In wartime the American-built Catalina made very significant contributions in the Battle of the Atlantic and the campaign against the German U-boat. Catalinas were operated out of ‘PD’ by both the RAF and the United States Navy.

Transporting the model to Pembroke Dock posed no problems for the team from local removals and storage firm ‘Mr Shift It’ and the Catalina ‘landed’ at the Heritage Centre to a welcoming crew including members of the Penfro Model Group.

The Catalina’s welcoming crew take stock of the impressive model along with the ‘Mr Shift It’ team of Adrian Phillips and Gino Thomas (centre). With them, left to right, are Penfro Modellers Peter Mitchell, Barry Clark and Bob Western who are also Heritage Centre Volunteers.

Penfro Model Group members are already planning to refurbish the model and paint it in the markings of an individual Catalina which has a special place in wartime aviation history.

Generous support from Pembroke Dock Town Council and the Town Team funded the transportation of the model to the town.

The Heritage Centre will be opening especially on Sunday April 1st – the actual 100th anniversary of the formation of the RAF. A new exhibition, ‘Many Nations, Many Trades’, will be on display – alongside the newly acquired Catalina. A programme of talks and walks has also been arranged.